Commonwealth week 2019: Capacity Building workshop on Leadership.

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University of Dschang
Commonwealth week 2019
Workshop on Leadership (08/03/2019)
Topic:
By Dr Tameh Kilian, FLSS University of Dschang

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A: DEVELOPING SELF CONFIDENCE
Public speaking as its name implies is a way of making your ideas public – of sharing
them with other people and of influencing other people. People who have influenced
others with their way of talking include Martin Luther King, Barack Obama, Nelson
Mandela, Margaret Tatcher, Wangari Maathai etc.
If you are worried about stage fright, you may feel better now; know that you are not
alone. Calm down and relax. Stage fright is a universal phenomenon in communication
psychology, theatre and drama, sociology and even medicine. It transcends cultural
boundaries, age, sex, occupation and socio-economic standings. Everyone is affected by
it to some degree or another.
The task we have today is first of all to help students develop a positive attitude toward
public speaking and to have confidence in their abilities to succeed as speakers. I am
going to start by naming the circumstances where the fear factor according to statistics
carried out by sociologist show.
- A party with strangers 75%
- Giving a speech 70%
- Asked personal questions in public 66%
- Meeting a date’s parents 60%
- Victim of a practical joke 56%
- Talking with someone in authority 54%
- Job interview 52%
- Public defences, colloquiums and exposes 45%
I want to repeat that if you feel nervous about giving a speech, you are in very good
company here; some of the greatest public speakers in history have suffered from
anxiety including Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill etc. Actually, most people tend to
be anxious before doing something important in public. Actors are nervous before a
play, politicians are nervous before a campaign speech, teachers are nervous before
their first lesson, athletes are nervous before their big game …
In other words, it is perfectly normal – even desirable – to be nervous at the start of a
speech. Your body is responding as it would to any stressful situation – by producing
adrenaline. This sudden shot of adrenaline is what makes your heart race, your hands
shake, your knees buckle and your skin perspire.
The question is: How can you control your nervousness and make it work for you rather
than against you?

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Rather than trying to eliminate any trace of stage fright, you should aim at trying to
transform from a negative force into what one expert calls POSITIVE NERVOUSNESS – a
zesty, enthusiastic, lively feeling with a slight edge to it … it is still nervousness but it is
different. You are no longer victimized by it; you are rather vitalized by it, you are in
control of it. Think of it as stage excitement; stage enthusiasm.
- Acquire speaking experience. (This workshop is one of them, read books on
public speaking, think about your first day in kindergarten, your first date, your
first job …) the more you learn about public speaking and the more speeches you
give, the less threatening speech making will become. It’s about doing.
- Practice, practice, practice: You can gain confidence by picking speech topics you
really care about – then you prepare your speech thoroughly and practice it.
- Think positively: Confidence is mostly the well-known power of positive thinking.
If you think you can do it, then you will do it. YES, I CAN!!!!! But if you predict
disaster and doom, that is what you will get.
Negative thought: I wish I didn’t have to give this speech.
Positive thought: This speech is a chance for me to share ideas and gain
experience as a speaker.
- Use the power of visualization: This is closely related to positive thinking and is
used by athletes, musicians, actors, speakers and others to enhance
performance in stressful situations. This creates a vivid mental blueprint in which
you see yourself succeeding as a speaker.
- Know that most nervousness is not visible. Even though your palms might be
sweating and your heart pounding, your listeners won’t probably realise how
tense you are – especially if you do your best to act cool and confident on the
outside.
- Don’t expect perfection: There is no such thing as a perfect speech. Every
speaker says or does something that does not come across exactly as he or she
had planned. Fortunately they are not evident as the audience does not know
what the speaker had planned to say.
Besides these six points:
a. Be at your best physically and mentally. Don’t stay up all night partying,
frying eggs etc. a good night’s sleep will serve you better.
b. As you are waiting to speak, quietly tighten and relax your leg muscle or
squeeze your hands together and then release them. Such actions reduce
tension by creating an outlet for adrenaline.
c. Take a couple slow, deep breaths before you start to speak. It breaks the
cycle of tension and helps calm your nerves.
d. Work especially hard on your introduction. Once you succeed in your
introduction, you find smoother sailing all along. (Speaker anxiety level drops
after 30 to 60 seconds)

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e. Make eye contact with members of your audience. Remember they are
individual people, not a blur of faces and they are not your enemies.
f. Concentrate on communicating with your audience rather than on worrying
about your stage fright. If you get caught up in your speech, your audience
will too.
CHECK LIST ON SPEAKING WITH CONFIDENCE
You have to verify that all these ten questions are answered before you can say that you
will deliver a speech with confidence.
1. Am I enthusiastic about my speech topic?
2. Have I thoroughly developed the content of my speech?
3. Have I worked on my introduction so my speech will get off to a good start?
4. Have I worked on the conclusion so my speech will end with a strong note?
5. Have I rehearsed my speech orally until I am confident about its delivery?
6. Have I worked on turning negative thoughts about my speech into positive ones?
7. Do I realise that nervousness is normal even among experiences speakers?
8. Do I understand that most nervousness is not visible to the audience?
9. Am I focused on communicating with my audience rather than worrying about
my nerves?
10. Have I visualised myself speaking confidently and getting a positive response
from my audience?
CULTURAL DIVERISTY AND PUBLIC SPEAKING
Speech making becomes more complex as cultural diversity increases. Part of it stems
from the differences in language from culture to culture. We communicate the way we
do because we are raised in a particular culture and learn its language, rules and norms.
The meanings attached to gestures, facial expressions and non-verbal signs are all
culture bound.
- Avoid ethnocentrism; the belief that one’s group or culture is superior to other
groups or cultures. Show respect for the culture of the listeners you are
addressing and adapt your message to suit in some ways the cultural values of
the people you are talking to.
ETHICS AND PUBLIC SPEAKING
Ethics is the branch of philosophy that deals with the issues of right and wrong in human
affairs. Questions of ethics arise when we ask whether a course of action is right or
wrong, moral or immoral, just or unjust, fair or unfair, honest or dishonest.

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As a public speaker, you will always be faced with ethical issues at every stage of the
speech making process. The first thing to put in mind is:
- Make sure your goals are ethically sound.
- Be honest in what you say. Does this mean every speaker should tell the truth,
the whole truth and nothing but the truth? (white lies etc.) Ethically responsible
speakers do not present other people’s words or works as their own. They do
not plagiarise their speeches.
- Avoid name-calling and other forms of abusive language. Name-calling is the use
of language to defame, degrade or demean individuals or groups.
ETHICAL PUBLIC SPEAKING CHECKLIST
1. Have I examined my goals to make sure they are ethically sound? (Can I defend
them if I am questioned? Do I want other people to know my true motives in
presenting this speech?)
2. Have I done a thorough job in studying and researching the topic?
3. Is the speech free of plagiarism?
4. Do I use the power of language ethically?
LISTENING
Some time ago, I attended a veteran party. There was a woman there who had
discovered that I had once been a teacher in her village in Bangangte. “Oh, Mr. Tameh, I
do want you to tell me about all the wonderful places you
have visited and the great challenges you have had as a teacher.” As we sat down on the
sofa, she remarked that she and her husband had recently returned from a trip to
Europe. “Europe!” I exclaimed. “How interesting! I’ve always wanted to see Europe, but
I never got the chance except what I read or watch about that great continent. Tell me,
did you visit the richest continent? Yes? How fortunate. I envy you. Do tell me about
Europe.”
That kept her talking for forty-five minutes. She never again asked me where I had been
or what I had seen. She didn’t want to hear me talk about my experiences. All she
wanted was an interested listener, so she could expand her ego and tell about where
she had been. Was she unusual? No. Many people are like that. And so I had her
thinking of me as a good conversationalist when, in reality, I had been merely a good
listener and had encouraged her to talk. What is the secret, the mystery, of a successful
public talking? Well, according to former Harvard president Charles W. Eliot, “There is
no mystery about successful business intercourse…Exclusive attention to the person
who is speaking to you is very important. Nothing else is so flattering as that.” In our
communication-oriented age, listening is more important than ever.

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People who talk only of themselves think only of themselves. And “those people who
think only of themselves,” Dr. Nicholas Murray Butler , said, “are hopelessly
uneducated. They are not educated, no matter how instructed they may be.” So if you
aspire to be a good conversationalist, be an attentive listener. To be interesting, be
interested. Ask questions that other persons will enjoy answering. Encourage them to
talk about themselves and their accomplishments.
Listening is important to the speaker. It is probably the way you get most of your ideas
and information – from TV, radio, conversation and lectures, gossip etc.
Let me make a difference between listening and hearing:
HEARING has to do with the vibration of sound waves on the eardrums and the firing of
electrochemical impulses in the brain.
LISTENING is paying close attention to, and making sense of what we hear.
LISTEN to people. Listening is just as important in one’s home life as in the world of
business AND PUBLIC SPEAKING. Listening and critical thinking is important. There are
four causes for poor listening:
- Not concentring. (spare brain time)
- Listening too hard (let’s not be human sponges, soaking up every speaker’s
words … not every detail is important)
- Jumping to conclusions. (e.g. prematurely rejecting a speaker’s ideas as boring or
misguiding)
- Focusing on delivery and personal appearance. (sometimes we judge people by
the way they look)
But there are ways to become a better listener/
- Take listening seriously
- Be an active listener (give undivided attention to a speaker)
- Resist distraction
- Don’t be diverted by appearance and or delivery
- Suspend judgement
- Focus your listening
- Develop note-taking skills
GIVING YOUR FIRST SPEECH
After this workshop, I will like everyone to try a model in giving their speech. I may even
call on anyone now to deliver his/her first speech on a current topic. This first speech is
often called an ICE BREAKER speech. Once you have broken the ice by giving a speech,
you will feel less anxious and will be taking the road to confidence.

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DEVELOPING THE SPEECH: (let us try this out. I want any participant to introduce the
classmate in just one minute) Be creative in developing your speech. Think of ways to
make your presentation mysterious and suspenseful.
ORGANISING YOUR SPEECH: Regardless of your topic, your speech will have three main
parts – an introduction, a body and a conclusion. (we have already talked about how to
work the introduction and conclusion. If possible, always end on a dramatic, clever or
thought-provoking note)
DELIVERING YOUR SPEECH: Since it is your first speech, focus will be on the
extemporaneous method of delivery, the importance of rehearsing your speech, and the
major factors to consider when speech day arrives.
Speaking Extemporaneously: This combines the careful preparation and structure of
manuscript presentation with the spontaneity and enthusiasm of an unrehearsed talk.
Here you plan well, without memorising the precise language you are going to use. You
master the content quite well and it comes out so smoothly that it seems almost
effortless.
This means you have to practice very well for a comfortable delivering speech. For this
approach to work, you MUST rehearse the speech aloud.
PRESENTING THE SPEECH: When it is your turn to speak, move in front of the room and
face the audience. Assume a relaxed but upright posture. Plant your feet a bit less than
shoulder-width apart and allow your arms to hang loosely by your side. Arrange your
notes before you start to speak. Then take a moment to look over your audience and
smile.
Once into the speech, feel free to use your hands to gesture, but don’t try to plan your
gestures ahead of time. But don’t let your gestures or bodily actions distract listeners
from your message. Avoid nervous mannerisms like twisting your hair, wringing your
hands, shifting your weight from one foot to the other, tapping your fingers. Appear
calm and relaxed.
Try to use your voice as expressively as you would in normal conversation. Fight the
temptation to race through your speech. Think positively and visualise yourself giving a
successful speech.
There are aspects of nonverbal communication – communication based on a person’s
use of voice and the body, rather than on the use of words.
The speaker’s voice must:
- Volume (this has to do with the loudness or softness)
- Pitch (highness or lowness)

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- Rate (the speed at which a person speaks)
- Pauses (momentary break in speech delivery)
- Vocal variety (change in a speaker’s rate and volume that gives the voice variety
and expressiveness)
- Pronunciation (the accepted standard of sound and rhythm for words in a given
language)
- Articulation (the physical production of particular speech sounds)
- Dialect (a variety of a language distinguished by variations of accent, grammar or
vocabulary)
The speaker’s body
Kinesics – the study of body motions as a systematic mode of communication
- Personal appearance
- Movement
- Gestures
- Eye contact
SELECTING A TOPIC A TOPIC AND A PURPOSE
- Choose a topic you know a lot about (the subject of a speech)
- Topics you want to know more about
- Determine the general purpose and the specific purpose and phrase the central
idea.
Example:
. TOPIC: Music Therapy
. GENERAL PURPOSE: To inform
. SPECIFIC PURPOSE: To inform/explain about the benefits of music therapy for
people with psychological or cognitive disabilities.
ANALYSING THE AUDIENCE
- Audience-centeredness: Keep the audience foremost in mind at every step of the
speech preparation and presentation.
- Audience Identification: Always seek to create a bond with the audience by
emphasizing common values, goals and experiences.
- The Psychology of the audience: What do people want to hear? They want to
hear about things that are interesting to them. PEOPLE ARE EGOCENTRIC.
- Demographic Audience: This is audience analysis that focuses on demographic
factors such as age, gender, religion, sexual orientation, group membership, and
racial, ethnic or cultural background.
- Avoid Stereotyping: That is, creating an oversimplified image of a particular
group of people, usually by assuming that all members of the group are alike.

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- Situational Audience Analysis: Focuses on situational factors like audience size,
physical setting, and disposition of the audience toward the topic, the speaker
and the occasion.
GATHERING MATERIAL
- Using your own knowledge and experience
- Doing library research
- Searching the internet
- Interviewing
SUPPORTING YOUR EXAMPLES
- Brief examples
- Hypothetical examples
- Statistics
USING LANGUAGE
Contrary to popular belief, language does not mirror reality. It does not simply
describe the world as it is. Instead, language helps create our sense of reality by
giving meaning to events.
- Meanings of words (words have two meaning – denotative and connotative. The
first is literal and objective. The second is figurative and subjective.)
- Using language accurately (look for just the right words to express your ideas.
Avoid the misuse of words) Use familiar words and concrete words and avoid
clutters.
- Using language vividly: Just as you can be accurate without being clear, you can
still be accurate and clear without being interesting.
- Using language appropriately: in addition to being accurate, clear and vivid,
language should be appropriate to the occasion, the audience, to the topic and
to the speaker.
PREPARING FOR THE QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION
A SPEAKER WHO ANSWERS QUESTIONS WELL CAN STRENGTHEN THE IMPACT OF
HIS OR HER SPEECH. So take this part as seriously as your speech presentation.